Newberry S.C. – No.15 Anderson women's basketball team dropped its first South Atlantic Conference game of the season, ending its 25 game SAC win streak after falling in overtime at Newberry, 58-56 on Wednesday evening at Eleazer Arena.
With the setback, the Trojans fall to 7-2 overall and 3-1 in SAC play, while the Wolves improve to 5-4 overall and 2-2 in conference action.
Anderson freshman McKenzie Gadson scored a career high 15 points while grabbing seven rebounds. Senior Madison Baggett netted 12 points draining four three-point baskets. Baggett also chased down five rebounds and was credited with two blocks. Junior Taylor Hair chipped in nine points while adding nine rebounds. Seniors Amari Grevious and Alexy Mollenhauer collected nine and eight rebounds, respectively.
Newberry placed three players in double-digit scoring with Talia Roberts coming off the bench to score a game-high 16 points. Wolves guard Courtney Virgo scored 14 points while Kelsey Brett chipped in 10 points.
Newberry took advantage of Anderson's lowest scoring output of the season, holding the Trojans to 17 points below their season average.
The Black and Gold held a nine point lead, 31-22, after two quarters of play, while leading by 11 for over seven minutes of the third. Newberry began to slowly chip away at AU's lead pulling with three to end the third.
The Wolves tied the game at 41 apiece after a made three-point basket. AU answered with a 5-0 run pushing the lead to seven on Gadson's layup with 4:45 left to play. Anderson would not score again until two made free-throws by Hair with eight seconds left in the game to put the Trojans up 51-48.
Anderson had a foul to give letting the Wolves run some time off the clock before fouling. Newberry inbounded the ball with 1.4 seconds left to a wide open Kelsey Brett who drained the three-pointer to send the game into overtime.
Newberry outscored the Trojans, 6-4, in the extra stanza to win for the first time over the Black and Gold in its last 10 tries.
"I'm really proud of how hard our team fought tonight, even though shots just weren't falling in," said head coach Jonathon Barbaree. "With that said, super disappointed in my coaching down the stretch when it counted the most. I have to do a better job and that loss is on me."
Anderson returns home to host SAC foe Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.
